Demon and Dragon
by Lady Sharmeleon
Summary: =Filia/Xelloss= Lina learns of an upcoming war between the Ryuzoku and the Mazoku, but how can she stop it when she can't even stop two of them from fighting?
1. Demon and Dragon - Prologue

Prologue

Lina Inverse stumbled through the forest blindly, tripping over nearly ever root and twig which blocked her path. She cursed both them and her sense, wondering why she had even trusted something she, as of yet, had never truly seen. The moon was full that night, and it hung high in the sky, but it was covered by a thick blanket of clouds and was of no use to the searching girl.

Instinctively, after she had tripped one too many times for her liking, Lina began a spell of illumination. As the ball of white light formed in her hands, the reason for her even being in the forest spoke to her through some sort of telepathic connection. 

"No magic." It said in a low, hissing voice. "You will rely only on what you have been given at birth." 

Lina stopped her spell abruptly and whirled around. Whoever or whatever it was that possessed the eerie voice was nowhere to be found, even in the shadowy cover of the forest. She continued forth, this time with an unusual certainty. It seemed as if she knew exactly where to go. 

The creature, whatever it was, had come to her in a dream. It had warned her of those around her – those dear to her – being destroyed. It had caused her to think about her world and the beings in it. It had made her consider that losing her friends in such a dangerous profession was very likely. It opened her eyes to a fear she had been denying behind her tough exterior. 

She had never seen the creature's face. She wasn't even sure if it had one. Just a voice and two piercing eyes. An eerie voice that had spoken worlds of truth to her over the past week. A voice that had told her little, yet still made her think so much. That voice was what drove her here at such a late hour. She trusted it, for it was the only one that seemed to know every secret ever imagined, some which she was sure even the trickster priest had absolutely no knowledge of. 

She came to a small clearing and glanced at her surroundings. Her eyes had long since adjusted to the darkness, but she could see only the moon, a corner of it peeking out from behind a cloud, reflecting off of rippling water. 

"Come closer." The voice beckoned. 

Lina did as it instructed, stepping closer to the water's edge and kneeling where fresh sand met cool liquid. The water in the small, natural pool before her lapped over its confines gently, as if something had stirred it. She reached her hand down to the water's surface and tried to touch it, just for some proof that she was not in a dream. 

She never had the chance. 

The water formed in a tight, cyclone-like spiral in the center of the pool, gathering up into the clouds. In an instant it returned, this time a pool of bright red flames. Lina jumped back just as the tip of the glowing mass licked up the side of the pool, threatening to come after her next. 

"This is what this pool will become. Serene tide will be swept over by vicious flame. Those once friends will become foes. Allies will become adversaries. The world will ensue in a gruesome battle, and once it begins, no one, not even you, Lina Inverse, will be able to stop it." 

The creature appeared within the mass of flames. As in her dreams, she could only see it's eyes, taking on the color of what they possessed. In this case, the writhing fire. 

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Lina spat, her voice still hoarse and scratchy from sleep. "Why did you bring me here?" 

"Twelve days and twelve nights. That is the time remaining. If something is not done within that time, nothing will ever be done." It hissed. 

"Time remaining until what? I don't understand!" 

The flames shot up in outrage and Lina put her arms before her face. A thick dark smoke enveloped her, yet it was not one of hostility, making her lungs scream for air. Instead it was soft and light, and seemed to be pulling her closer into the creature's words. 

"The Great War. The War that will end this world as we know it. The War in which no one will survive." 

"But why? What makes the war start?" 

The creature chuckled. "You should be more concerned with what won't make it start, as everything else surely will." 

Lina became enraged, swiping at the smoke that was enclosing her body along with the pool of flames. "How do you expect me to do anything when you don't give me any information?" 

The creature sighed, its eyes turning from their fiery red to a calming navy blue. In an instant, the pool returned to its original state and the thick black smoke disappeared. Still, Lina could make out nothing about the creature besides its eyes. 

"Fine, I will take things slowly. This world is divided into ranks, the highest being…" 

"Yeah, I know that!" Lina snarled. "Just tell me who's involved, and don't talk to me like I'm stupid!" 

The creature seemed to be laughing at her, although it was hard to tell. "The mazoku and the ryuzoku are the starters and enders of the Great War. It is they who remain lost in their stubbornness and petty feuds, causing certain death for every race, not just those they seek to destroy." 

"But the mazoku and ryuzoku have been fighting for millions of years! Wasn't some kind of war inevitable?"

"It is true, they have always been enemies. Each is bred to hate the other. A war was bound to occur, and has occurred before, but none such as this War." 

"And what makes it so different? Why is this war the one to end the world, and not any of their other fights?" 

"Because this War is blind. This War sees victory in its own selfish regions and cares not for the lives of others. This War pits Dark and Light against each other until, in the end, it is not sure who is the true evil." 

"And why is it going to happen in exactly twelve days? And how do you know all this, anyway?" Lina asked, slightly irritated at both her situation and her informer. 

The water stirred and Lina backed further away, thinking she had triggered the flame's unwanted presence. Instead, a large stone tablet appeared from the depths of the pool, settling itself atop the water. It shone a gray hue and Lina could clearly see the markings on its smooth panel. 

"Read it." 

"I can't read that! It's in some ancient language…" 

The creatures eyes closed and when they reopened, they seemed to be smiling at her. "Try it now." 

Doubtingly, Lina waded into the center of the pool to get a better look at the markings. She knew she could not read the language, but wondered how long it would take the creature to give up and read it for her. Out of curiosity, she ran her hand over the smooth surface, and suddenly its scripture came to her. 

"Such things you do not need to read, Lina Inverse. They will tell their secrets to you if you are ready to hear them. Say what you hear out loud." 

Lina nodded and ran her hand over every slick carving, stopping momentarily when she was unsure. The end product, she recited in its entirety. 

## In a twelve day period

From the full moon's rising 

Great destruction shall envelope 

The land 

In a time of peace 

Chaos shall install itself 

Among the crowds 

Demon and dragon 

Shall battle mercilessly 

Until their thirst 

For blood is satisfied 

The world will be 

No more 

Only a barren land 

With remnants of nothing 

Mazoku 

Ryuzoku 

Bound by hatred 

And nothing more 

Shall oversee the destruction 

With blind eyes 

Until even they are 

Taken into the depths 

Of hell 

Mazoku 

Ryuzoku 

Blinded by their differences 

Will not rest until 

The world is of one 

Empty hole 

The stone slab turned and Lina ran her hand along its other side, reading it aloud to the creature.

## Each night after

The moon will be 

Spent trying to deny 

What is to come 

Fate may be decided 

By one simple course 

On each night 

A test 

Of true courage 

And bravery 

Meant for the strong-willed 

Only 

Each night that passes 

The clock will tick down 

And the future 

Will be decided by 

The events of the nights 

Succeed in their challenge 

And live until the War 

Lina stopped. "Wait! The way this is putting it, either the challenges will kill us, or we'll be killed in the War. I thought you said the War could be stopped?"

She felt the words come to her, as if they were coming from the creature itself.

Mazoku 

Ryuzoku 

Past undeniable 

Bitter hatred 

Priest 

Priestess 

Opposite ends 

Bring together the hole 

Mazoku 

Ryuzoku 

At War for eternity 

For reasons unknown 

Priest 

Priestess 

Stop the bitter hatred 

End the War 

Lina looked up, expecting more to come, yet it never did. "What does that mean? The instructions on stopping it are harder to make sense of than the War itself.

"You know the answers, Lina. It is not you who decides fate anymore."

"Then why did you call me here?"

"So you would know how to help those needing of your assistance. You may not decide fate, but you can push it toward the right direction."

"This makes no sense!" Lina screamed. "How am I supposed to stop two races from fighting?"

The creature laughed. "It is up to you to answer that question, Great Lina Inverse."

He was gone in a blue flash, and Lina was left alone in the dark forest. In the distance, a wolf howled, and she matched its volume, crying out to the gods, asking them why she was always the pawn in someone else's stupid wars.

"Let them die, for all I care!" She screamed. "That just shows what happens when you're too proud to come to an agreement."

Words of frustration. She did not believe them. She did not believe they came from her mouth. The mouth of the Great Lina Inverse had given in just because of something that appeared impossible. Two tears escaped her eyes and came to rest in the pool of water, where she realized she was still standing. She stared up at the tablet with fire in her eyes. It seemed she hoped intimidation would force it to give her a more comprehensible answer.

"Clear or not, I'm not backing down from this. That's what you wanted, isn't it?" She yelled at the top of her lungs to the blackness. "Well, you're not going to get it. As long as there's a chance, I'll find some way to stop this War. You just wait and see!"

[On to Chapter One: Bitter Hatred][1]

   [1]: demndra1.htm



	2. Demon and Dragon - Chapter One

Chapter One: Bitter Hatred

When Amelia and Gourrycame down for breakfast, Lina was already sitting at a small table in the far corner of the inn, her gaze plastered straight ahead.

"I didn't expect you to be up this early, Lina. I know you always want to be the first, but…" 

"The inn doesn't even serve breakfast until seven!" Gourry finished Amelia's sentence and she looked at him quizzically. 

"Is anyone else awake?" Lina's voice was cold and serious, nowhere close to the tone she usually held in the early morning. 

"Well, Zelgadis was still sleeping when I woke up. He kept muttering 'damn life' in his sleep, though…" Gourry said, deep in thought. Amelia sweatdropped. 

"And Filia was asleep when I left, but I think she was close to waking up." Amelia said, taking a seat next to Lina. 

"What about Xelloss?" 

Lina didn't want to admit it, but she needed the information she was sure the mazoku priest held somewhere in his realm of secrets. She needed to know about the War, and what he knew of it. She needed to make sense of the scripture that had been reading itself aloud in her mind all night. 

"I don't think anyone's seen Xelloss since last night…" Gourry began, looking into the small kitchen to see if anyone had started to prepare breakfast. 

"He'll probably turn up soon, though. You know him!" Amelia said cheerfully. 

For a moment, even though there was no place for it, Lina thought the princess might jump atop the table and begin with one of her speeches. It wouldn't matter to her either way. She had tuned out everything except the information she needed. 

*** 

Xelloss Metallium sat lazily in one of the trees which surrounded the inn. They had offered him a room with Gourry and Zelgadis, but he preferred to stay hidden and occasionally peer in at the inn's residents through its windows. He was outside the room which he would have stayed in last night, listening to the chimera's dream influenced ramblings. He had been switching places throughout the night, and as the sun began to show itself over the horizon, a flood of golden light washing over the land, Xelloss changed spots again.

He watched her with the trickster grin he always wore. She was sitting on her bed, in the room she had shared with Amelia. A shiny silver comb was brought through her silky blonde hair, only once stopping to work with a tangle. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be humming some sort of tune, although Xelloss couldn't quite make it out. A tune she had learned as a shrine maiden, he guessed. 

Often times he would watch her without notice. He couldn't explain why. Perhaps it gave him satisfaction knowing he could watch her wherever she was and there was virtually nothing she could do about. That was, of course, until she caught him. 

The golden dragon priestess' eyes fluttered open, revealing the shimmering blue. She felt someone watching her – some presence – and she was positive it was not a good one. Turning instinctively to look out the window, she found Xelloss in a tree, smiling at her with the stupid grin which seemed to always grace his features. 

"Hentai!" She screeched, causing a few of the birds in the tree to fly away. "How long have you been there?" 

"Sore wa himitsu desu!" He said smugly, waving his finger. The silver brush came flying through the open window intent on beaming him, yet he caught it easily. 

The angered dragon had a grasp on her mace now and was holding it above her shoulder, prepared to pummel him with the large device. He was too far away for her to reach, she realized, and began to take aim. Xelloss smiled even wider. It would have been fun to watch her make an attempt at throwing the giant spiked club, yet he phased out before she was able to let it go. 

He reappeared behind her and offered her the silver brush, making a point to get as annoyingly close to her as he possibly could. She spun around and hit him with the mace, not once, but several times, snatching her brush from the figure that lay in a heaped mess on the floor. 

"Namagomi! That'll teach you to spy on people!" She hit him again for extra measure and he yelped slightly, finding that with the timely, continuos blows, he could not extract any pleasure from a single one of them, yet he did smile slightly as she left in a miffed state, cursing the baka namagomi mazoku under her breath. 

*** 

To say Lina heard Filia's shrill scream would have been an understatement. It made everyone's ears throb with pain, and she was sure the people in the mountains could hear it as well. She had undoubtedly discovered where Xelloss was hiding.

On her way up the stairs, she bumped into a flustered dragon maiden. 

"If you're going up there, tell that dirty mazoku scum that if he shows his stupid face again, it's going to get beat in harder than it already is!" She fumed. 

Lina turned to watch as she stomped down the stairs, wondering what Xelloss had done to get her so riled up. As she thought about it more, she didn't really want to know. 

The door to Filia and Amelia's room was thrown back on its hinges as far as it could go, and she could see Xelloss picking himself up from the floor. "If you keep doing that she's going to make us all deaf!" She snapped. 

"I simply returned her brush… which she threw at me, by the way!" He said defensively, his normal grin reappearing. 

"You get a kick out of making her angry, don't you?" 

Xelloss chuckled. "Sore wa himitsu desu… but I do love it when she pulls out her tea set and starts drinking compulsively." He winked at Lina and she shuddered, beginning to understand the mazoku's twisted sense of enjoyment. "So, you came to talk to me, ne?" 

Lina nodded. "Have you ever heard of the Great War." 

"Hmm.. I've heard of it. Only in an opinionated sense, though. Most people think it will be the end of the world." 

"You don't think that?" 

"I never said I didn't. To tell you the truth, Lina-chan, I didn't even know the countdown was to begin this soon," Xelloss replied, rummaging through the drawers of the dresser to find something he could annoy the golden dragon with later. His gloved hand closed around a golden sphere. He brought it out of the drawer from under its blankets of robes and opened his hand. The sphere pulsed with a golden glow. "but that would explain this, I suppose." He pulled out a sphere nearly identical to the golden one, the only difference being in color, as this one was a deep violet which gave off a crimson light. 

"What are those?" 

"Treasures which mazoku and ryuzoku each own. When they sense something, they begin to glow like this. It must be the War they're responding to." 

"Are you sure it's not the negative energy between you and Filia?" Lina asked, her old spark returning. 

"It could be, but I highly doubt that." 

She snatched the purple sphere from him and began to examine it. In her palm, its color faded. 

"In the hand of a human the magic fades." Xelloss stated, taking it back from her and placing it, along with Filia's, in his pocket. 

"So then you knew about the War…" 

"It started glowing last night. Just about the time I watched you return to the inn. Filia's was glowing, too. From within the drawer." 

Lina clenched her fists. "Do you spy on everyone?!" 

"Just about." He said cheerfully. 

The thought of wrapping her hands around his throat and squeezing was becoming increasingly appealing, yet she restrained herself and continued with what she had come to him for in the first place. 

"Someone told me there was a way to stop it…" 

"Well, we do have twelve days… but there's no way you can stop this rivalry. You've already seen what happens between Filia and I. Imagine if you gathered all of the mazoku and ryuzoku up and put them in a tiny room. That is what the War will be like." 

"But what if…" 

"What if what?" 

"Haven't you ever wanted to just have a normal conversation with Filia? Like normal people do?" 

"Normal is boring." Xelloss snorted. "And besides… it's not my fault she's always trying to hit me. I try my best to be nice!" 

"You killed off nearly all of her race!" 

"That was a long time ago…" 

"Long time ago or not, you're both blaming the other! That's what's happening, isn't it?" She asked, using Xelloss and Filia's feud as an example. "Everyone is just too proud to forgive and they won't come to a compromise." 

"The mazoku have no need to forgive! We can go about our way without them. It's the ryuzoku who keep interfering! And furthermore…" 

"Just stop it, Xelloss! Can't you see what an idiot you sound like?" 

Xelloss stopped for a moment, shocked by Lina's deduction. He had always hated ryuzoku since he became a mazoku. He was unsure of the reason, but he knew there must be one. Lina made a good point. He did sound like an idiot, rambling on like a two year old child, yet he knew mazoku and ryuzoku would never come to terms, no matter what the circumstances. 

Lina threw up her hands in frustration, deciding Xelloss, in his one-sided mazoku state, was not worth arguing with, even to get the information she so desperately needed. 

"You can't stop bitter hatred, Lina! You just can't!" Xelloss yelled after her. 

She refused to believe it. Perhaps she was being like Amelia now, believing in the utopian society where bitter hatred could be conquered. But by what? Xelloss had blown up on her even at the mention of forgiving the ryuzoku, and she had seen how nasty the petty arguments between him and Filia could get. What would happen when the Great War commenced? 

Her stomach growled as she came upon the aroma of eggs. For now, she would eat breakfast with the others and mask her confusion. It was simpler that way. As she ate, however, she noticed Filia's quick glances at her. Did she sense something? Trying to cover up her problems more efficiently, Lina stared at her plate. For a brief second, she looked up, and caught Filia eyeing her again, this time with a nervous twitch. Something was going on. 

After breakfast, Lina caught the dragon maiden in the hall. 

"You know about the War, don't you?" She asked. 

Filia nodded. "I can sense it." She turned away as if to hide something. "Just because of stupid arguments and disagreements… this shouldn't have to happen!" 

Lina realized what she was trying to hide were tears. "I know what you mean. I don't want it to happen either…" She thought back to Xelloss. She had never really asked him if he minded the War, but she doubted he would give her an answer anyway. 

"If it weren't for those stupid mazoku!" Filia cried. "We ryuzoku could have the perfect world! If only they didn't exist, there wouldn't be need for a War!" 

Lina's eyes turned into little slits. For a moment, she had thought Filia was not going to be as stubborn about the matter as Xelloss. Now she had seen both sides of the spectrum. Mazoku and Ryuzoku. So much alike, yet fighting just because of small differences. Both so stubborn and ignorant. Both so consumed with their way of thinking. As Filia let out an unholy wail, Lina began to wonder if there would ever be a way to make them accept each other. Bitter hatred, indeed, was not an emotion to take lightly.

[On to Chapter Two: Among the Crowds][1]

   [1]: demndra2.htm



	3. Demon and Dragon - Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Among the Crowds

Filia stood in the middle of the room, gazing at her image in the mirror. She turned to look at the window. The blind was down, along with a few other cloths she had stuffed around it. She wished they were not covering the window, though. She wished for someone to see her – to comment on her attire – even if it was just a trickster priest.

A beautiful blue dress graced her slender figure, much different from her usual garb. It extended to the middle of her thighs and was tight fitting at the top, yet loose and somewhat frilly at the bottom. To match it, a pair of blue high heels, which she had to admit, she still was not accustomed to wearing. On her bed lay the silver brush and as she picked it up, she remembered the events of the morning. 

It was nearly enough to spoil her good mood. 

Why did she have to go to the festival with that… mazoku? Why couldn't he just go with Lina or Amelia? Or better yet, find someone else in town to harass. She had thought of playing sick and just not going to the festival, but as the manager of the inn had told her, it was a festival to honor the great dragon gods, and she could not pass up such an opportunity. 

"Knowing that namagomi, he will find some way to ruin everything." 

She would not let him get to her. All the times she was around him, he tried to bait her into losing her temper. Most of the time, it worked. She knew mazoku were creatures that thrived off of negative energy, but Xelloss was taking his fetish way too far. Every time she was in a good mood, he seemed to be there to bring out the worst in her. 

"Baka namagomi…" She muttered. 

"Oh, so you're thinking about me, are you? I'm flattered, Filia-chan!" 

She reached for her mace, yet it was not where she had left it. 

"Looking for this?" Grinning, Xelloss held the mace just out of her reach. 

"Give that back!" Filia tried to swipe the tool, but found she could hardly reach the height at which Xelloss held it. 

"Nope. I'm not giving it back until you promise to be nice to me for the entire evening. And you promise to actually enjoy yourself?" Xelloss smiled, fully aware of how much he was testing her boundaries. 

"I have to go with you, but no one ever said I had to enjoy it!" She jumped for the mace again, but he pulled it farther away. 

Through her struggle, Filia had managed to get within inches of Xelloss, and since they were nearly the same height, especially with Filia's high heels, it made the situation very uncomfortable. On first instinct, Filia blushed, then, coming to her senses, punched the mazoku hard in the stomach. 

"What was that for?" Xelloss asked, winded. 

Filia picked up the mace from where he had dropped it and proceeded to hit him, yet again, in the stomach. "The same thing that was for, namagomi." 

With a smile of triumph, Filia left the room, leaving Xelloss once again in a heap on the floor. _Damn that woman. If only she didn't have that mace… _

'If only she didn't have that mace, what?' He asked himself.

He could certainly play more tricks on her, something he enjoyed. He could see the look on her face when she caught him spying on her, or the rage in her voice as she screamed 'namagomi' at the top of her powerful lungs. Negative energy. A mazoku favorite. He loved seeing her mad, and she knew it. _It's cute when she tries to pretend like she's not mad... especially when her tail gives it away. _

'Cute?' He thought. 'Where'd that come from?' 

He shrugged it off, calling it a sadistic satisfaction he got when she was angry. He really did like to see her angry, but had he seen her in any other state? Sometimes, when she was angry, it almost seemed as if she were sad, as well. "You should try being human around her for a change." Lina had suggested once. But he wasn't human. He was mazoku. Yet if that were entirely true, why couldn't he feed off of the golden dragon priestess' sadness? And why did he feel a slight tinge of guilt every time he thoughtof her being sad? 

"Hurry it up, will ya? We haven't got all day!" 

Lina was certainly back to her normal self, and quite annoyed, much to Xelloss' pleasure, at being forced to wear a dress. He walked out of the inn room and down the stairs, noting he was the only one not present. 

Amelia had latched herself onto Zelgadis, who was dreading wearing his tuxedo as much as Lina was dreading wearing a dress. Gourry was in a tuxedo also, although it looked as if someone had thrown it in the washer, as it was about an inch too short for him. Lina was dressed in a tight-fitting green dress, which, had she anything to show off, he thought with a smirk, would have shown off quite a bit. Filia was standing by the door, anxious to leave. He had never complemented her on her dress, he realized, after seeing it was quite the elegant one. 

He himself was dressed in his normal robes, refusing to wear a tuxedo, and who was to stop him? He had no Amelia to beg him and no Lina to threaten him. All he had was Filia. Lonely Filia who stood by the door, eyes downcast. Saddened Filia, who couldn't seem to stand being in the same room with _him. Beautiful Filia, who seemed to radiate with an interesting glow. _

Xelloss stopped himself. She was beautiful, yes. He had openly admitted that a long time ago. Yet it was no reason to dwell on that fact. He gazed at her from his stance at the bottom of the stairs. Hurt played in her eyes, and the tinge of guilt hit him again. 

"Filia-chan, I must say, that dress looks absolutely stunning on you!" He offered cheerfully and truthfully, crossing the room to stand next to her. 

"Go away, namagomi! And stay away!" She snapped harshly, the hurt vanishing from her eyes. In its place, the fiery temper he knew best suited her. 

"Well, that won't get us anywhere, will it? Most people don't stay as far away from each other as they can on a date…" 

"Number one, I'm not most people, and number two, this is not a date!" She pulled out the mace and he backed away, wondering where exactly she found to put it under her dress. 

Filia watched Xelloss retreat to the far corner of the room. She felt guilty with herself. Mad at her own actions. He had complemented her, hadn't he? And that was how she repaid him? _It was probably just some sick, twisted mazoku humor anyway. _

Lina took her focus off of her own dress for a moment to watch Xelloss and Filia. They were fighting again. This time, she had to go with Xelloss. He had, after all, complemented her, and she didn't even say thank you. But, then again, she had no knowledge of what Xelloss might have said before Filia came running out with her mace in hand. 

Her mind returned to the scripture. Sides too stubborn to forget… that was it! Forgiveness! Lina smiled happily, amazed she had not thought of it before. If she could get both sides to forgive each other… but that was easier said than done. Dark lords did not forgive and forget easily. A plan came to her, and she decided she would test it out later, using Xelloss and Filia as her guinea pigs. 

*** 

The man at the inn had told them it was a highly regarded festival, yet they never imagined how many people would be there. Zelgadis looked extremely uncomfortable, Amelia contributing to most of that effect. As soon as they made it through the door of the festival shrine, Xelloss and Filia got as far away from each other as they possibly could. 

"Alright, food!" Lina and Gourry said at the same time. 

The buffet table was lined with food, though no one besides Lina and Gourry really felt like eating. It was a good thing, too. Within moments of them spotting the delicious food, it was gone, and the caterers were busy making more. 

Lina looked up from her seat upon yelling for another serving and receiving a quick "Yes, ma'am! Right away!" It was definitely different from any festival she'd ever been to. 

A soft instrumental began to play, and she saw Amelia drag Zelgadis onto the dance floor. A few other people were up there, and she glanced over at Gourry, blushing slightly. A vein popped out on her head when she noticed he had left the table to pester the people in the kitchen. _Same as always… Oh well. I guess it gives me time to work on my little project. _

She directed her gaze toward Filia, who sat alone in the far corner of the room. She looked so depressed. If things were different, she would try and cheer her up first, but this was a matter of life or death, she realized. Things had to move quickly or not at all. Especially experiments.

She crossed the dance floor determinedly, barely noticing when she bumped into a few couples along the way. It hadn't seemed so far a walk to the other side. 

"Do you mind if I ask you something, Filia?" 

Filia looked up and forced a smile. "No. What is it, Lina?" 

Lina thought for a moment, trying to decide whether she should beat around the bush for a few minutes or just get to the point of her conversation. The latter won out. 

"Why do you hate Xelloss so much?" 

Xelloss perked up at this. He was all the way across the room, yet had been tuning into Lina's conversation, wondering just what the sorceress' intentions were. 

"What do you mean why do I hate him? Which reason should I give you?" 

"Well, how about the main one?" 

"The main one? Because he slaughtered my people! That dirty mazoku slaughtered my people!" She said loudly, causing a few people to turn, and gaining Amelia's interest in the conversation. 

"I guess that's a good reason, isn't it? Well… didn't that happen a long time ago?" 

"It still happened, Lina! If someone murders your family, you can't forget it just because it happened a long time ago." 

"I never murdered your family personally, dragon." Xelloss stated inaudibly. 

Lina sighed, realizing she made a good point. "Haven't you ever considered forgiving him?" 

"And what would that get me? A smile and something that told that trickster priest he was better than me? Why should I?" 

Lina sweatdropped. She had gone back to her 'ryuzoku against mazoku' way of thinking. 

Xelloss smiled even at that statement. Filia? Forgive him? Now there were two concepts that just didn't coincide. Ever since he'd met Filia she'd been swinging her mace at him for the very reason she had explained. 

"What if it ended the fighting? Wouldn't you like to just have a peaceful conversation with him for once?" 

"No one can have a peaceful conversation with a mazoku. Especially not that one." She said, pointing across the room to Xelloss. 

He smiled and waved at them. Lina sweatdropped again. "Oh, for crying out loud! Would you just forgive him! For me? Please?" 

"Why do you want me to forgive him so bad, Lina-san?" 

"I think I know why." Amelia said, winking at Lina. 

Lina interpreted that wink as meaning Amelia had misinterpreted her conversation with Filia. She knew Amelia's nature. Xelloss and Filia? A couple? She nearly burst out laughing at the thought. Something was definitely not right there. All she wanted was for them to forgive each other so she could test out her theory on the dark lords. 

"Because I'm tired of hearing all of your bickering all of the time, that's why!" Lina said, grabbing Filia's hand and pulling her over to where Xelloss was. 

"Thanks, Lina-chan, but I prefer to catch my own prey." He said, a grin smothering his face. 

Filia smacked him as hard as she could, feeling it not the right time to bring out her mace just yet. Lina grabbed her and stopped her from doing it again as the mazoku began to smile much wider, obviously extracting some sort of pleasure from the sharp hit. 

"Now forgive! And act like you mean it!" 

"I will never, ever forgive this stupid namagomi as long as I live! You can count on that!" She said, turning her back on Xelloss. 

"Xelloss?" 

"Me? Forgive her? Have you lost all sense, Lina?" He turned his back with a resigning "hmph". 

"Damnit! Why can't you just say 'I forgive you' and make me happy?!!!" Lina yelled. 

In an instant, she was jumped by Zelgadis and Gourry before she could cause any harm. Everyone looked on with wide eyes as they strapped Lina down in a chair. After she had cooled off some, Amelia sat down beside her. 

"I guess your plan didn't work, did it?" 

"No, I guess not."

"Well, that's okay. We'll bring those two destined lovers together some other time, right Lina-san?" 

"Destined… lovers…?" 

Lina watched the two Amelia was referring to. Filia was eyeing the punch, but would not go near it simply because Xelloss had been the last one to touch the serving spoon. Lina sweatdropped. 

"Are you insane?! Those two can't even share a room together much less share anything else!" Lina screamed, entangling her hands in her fiery red hair. 

Amelia backed as far away as she could while still sitting, and Zelgadis and Gourry both muttered something about women. Xelloss stole a glance at Filia. Her gloved hand rested on a pillar, and as she caught him looking at her, beginning to grow angered, the pillar began to glow. 

"Filia, I wouldn't do that if I were you…" He said cautiously. 

She paid him no mind, bringing out her mace. Even though she was no longer touching it, the pillar glowed even stronger, and her tail, its little bow tied around the end, was visible from her dress. 

The other people at the festival stopped in mid celebration, watching the ryuzoku priestess as she stomped toward the mazoku priest. They acknowledged her tail and let of gasps of awe and admiration. In an instant, they were on their knees, bowing down to her, yet Filia did not stop. 

"Uh… Filia-chan? Don't you want to acknowledge your devoted followers?" 

"Don't Filia-chan me you… you… namagomi!" 

Xelloss opened his eyes to glare at her. _You think you're going to get away with hitting me, do you? Well, you'll see. I'll even fight fairly. _

Filia brought the heavy mace above her head and prepared to swing. Her followers, watching with great admiration, grabbed weapons of their own, prepared to finish him off at the dragon's slightest word. She closed her eyes and brought the mace down with all her might, and it came against a strong pair of blue gloved hands.

"Wha…" She began to ask. 

Opening her eyes, she noticed Xelloss, a strained look on his face, holding her mace back with his hands. Blood began to pour from his hands and he stared at them in shock. _Wait a minute… this shouldn't happen… _

He lost his composure long enough for her to bring back the mace and strike again, this time clobbering him in the side of the head, letting out all of her pent-up anger. She had expected him to get up, dust himself off, and smile his crude smile at her, yet when he fell, he remained on the ground.

An enthusiastic yell resonated from the crowd. Their new-found dragon goddess had taken care of someone who was obviously her enemy. Clutching their weapons, they rushed toward the fallen mazoku, ready to finish him off. 

Filia stood in a daze. As the masses came rushing in, she called for them to stop. When they refused, she yelled at the top of her voice. Everyone settled down until she instructed them to go back to what they were doing before all of this started. Only Lina, Amelia, Gourry, and Zelgadis looked on. 

"Xelloss?" She said, a hint of fear in her voice. When he didn't answer, she shook him violently. "Xelloss? Wake up! Baka trickster…" 

Lina walked over to make sure Filia had not clobbered him to death. She turned the priest over and discovered a pool of blood. He was still breathing, however, and she turned to Filia, a confused look on her face. 

"Why did he…" 

"The shrine." 

"What?" 

"It's a shrine to honor dragons." Filia said quietly. "In some shrines, they react off of a dragon's feelings. They will punish any who make the dragon angry." 

The crowd looked on as Filia began to worry. She did not feel guilty for what she did, did she? Wasn't the intention of swinging at him to hurt him? No. The intention was to end her pain. Yet, as she saw him lying there, muttering 'violent dragon' over and over again as Lina reluctantly used a healing spell on him, she began to wonder if this didn't hurt her even more.

***

Lost among the crowds, a pair of cold navy blue eyes watched on with great satisfaction. _The first challenge has commenced. _

From somewhere else, another voice called to it. _Just whose side are you on? _

"What is that supposed to mean, master?" It hissed.

"If she realizes, there will be no hope for us! Your stupid challenges have so far helped them." 

Helped them? How can he say that? The mazoku priest is lying on the floor thanks to the ryuzoku priestess' hand.

"She will never realize, master. By the third night, she will have long since forgotten everything." He chuckled to himself. _Yes. This is not the worst of it, dragon maiden. I will see to that myself! _

[On to Chapter Three: The Priest][1]

   [1]: demndra3.htm



	4. Demon and Dragon - Chapter Three

Chapter Three: The Priest

Xelloss awoke with a pounding headache, unaware of the time or even the place in which he was. He opened his eyes cautiously, hoping there was no bright sunlight flooding in through the window. All around him it was dark, save a tiny candle which managed to light up part of the room. He looked around, his gaze fuzzy and unclear. He could swear there was someone else in the room.

Filia. 

She sat in a chair by the door, her eyes closed, each breath coming slowly. Startled, Xelloss looked around. He was back in the inn, in the room Gourry and Zelgadis shared, it seemed. But why was the dragon maiden there? 

He sat up, aware of just how much his head was throbbing. Fastened against it was a bloodied bandage, and as he took it off, he began to remember what had happened. He had taken on the physical weaknesses of a human in that shrine, he realized. Many times Filia had hit him with her mace, yet this time, in the shrine to the dragons, it had actually affected him. 

Was he back to normal? There was one way to figure it out. Quietly, he cast a healing spell, and in an instant, his wounds were fully healed. _Yep, definitely mazoku again. That was certainly an experience I don't want to have again. Especially not with such a violent dragon around. _

He chuckled, finding it hard to believe something sleeping so peacefully could cause so much harm. He watched her silently, finding himself unable to turn away. Her hair was frazzled and slightly dirty, not like it had been that morning. Her breathing was silent, and a slight smile played on her face, lit up softly, just as the rest of her was, by the flickering candlelight. He wondered just who this person was. Was it the same one that called him a namagomi and got great satisfaction out of hitting him? Was it the same one that was stubborn and set in her ways? Was it the same one that would rather die than come to terms with a mazoku? Was it the same one he found himself unable to get out of his head?

Xelloss closed his eyes painfully. She was always there, whether he cared to admit it or not. Sometimes in the dark side of his mind that wanted nothing more than to finish off the Golden Dragons, her included, and yet, sometimes in a different part.

"No." He snapped sharply. "What's wrong with me? When the War comes, I will help Xelas-sama be rid of all the dragons."

Filia awoke to the sound of a familiar voice, and noticed the one she was supposed to watch over was gone. "Xelloss?" She asked. "Where'd you go?"

"Go to sleep now, Filia-chan." He could hear her say. "You don't have to have a guilty conscience anymore for nearly killing me. I'm quite fine."

He appeared behind her, staff in hand, cloak hanging from his shoulders. He must have just awoken recently, Filia reasoned. "Guilty conscience? I would hardly have a guilty conscience for killing a mazoku, if that's what you think. I'm just in here because Lina-san ordered me to be."

"Really?" He asked, a smile playing in his eyes. "You're not the least bit concerned?"

"Why would I be concerned about you?"

"I don't know, Filia-chan. Why would you?"

"Stop calling me that, namagomi!" In an agitated move, she shoved him against the wall.

He smiled cleverly, enjoying how much rage he had caused her. He really did like seeing her angry, didn't he? Part of him did, but another part could see the pain masked behind those burning eyes.

She let him go, ashamed at her actions, remembering the time he had called her violent. She couldn't help it. Whenever she was around him and his smart remarks, she just couldn't find the self-control to stop herself. She began to walk out of the room, regretting ever agreeing to watch over him.

"Filia?"

"What do you want?" She snapped, turning around.

"I want to thank you."

"For what, namagomi?"

He didn't let her hasty response faze him. "For worrying."

In an instant, he disappeared, leaving Filia alone with her sharp remarks. She shook her head and continued into the hall, where Lina and Amelia were seated. Conversation stopped cold when she walked out.

"Oh, hello, Filia-san! Is Xelloss-san awake yet? It's been nearly a day since he was knocked out…" Amelia asked nervously.

"Yes." She said simply, walking past them and into the inn room she shared with Amelia.

"What's up with her?" Lina asked.

"You know very well what's up with her, Lina-san!" Lina gave her a quizzical look. "Don't you?" Lina shook her head. "She's caught in an internal war! Battling her secret feelings for Xelloss with loyalty to her kind!"

Lina blinked. "Secret feelings for Xelloss? The only feelings she has toward him are hostile, and those definitely aren't a secret…"

"It's not my fault you're too blind to recognize a woman in love!" Amelia snorted.

"Woman in love? Look, Amelia, didn't I already tell you I wasn't trying to set them up? I was just trying to get them to have a normal conversation with each other!"

Amelia went on with one of her love speeches, sighing dreamily after she had finished.

"Do I have to spell it out for you? It. Will. Never. Happen."

"Whatever you say, Lina-san."

Lina finally gave up, losing her second battle in a two-day period.

Xelloss smiled from outside the window. Him and Filia? What a joke. There was no way that would ever happen. _Why not? The egotistical, self-centered side of the mazoku spoke up. __You could certainly get her if you wanted. _

"Get her if I wanted?" Xelloss asked himself aloud. "And why would I want to 'get her'?"

He didn't desire her. He couldn't stand to be around her. He couldn't stand it when she hurt at his expense…

"Damnit!" He cursed aloud. "Why is this happening? Why, L-sama?"

Rustling wind shook the tree's leaves. A chill hung in the air that night, but Xelloss paid it no mind. Why _was this happening? Why couldn't he simply forget about the ryuzoku priestess and go about his ways? Why did he find himself feeling guilty whenever he angered her? Why did it hurt him so much to see her depressed and alone? Why did he feel that, if Xelas-sama were to ever order him to kill the remaining golden dragons, he couldn't bring himself to kill her?_

"It's easy." He said. "One swift move and she's out. No skin off my back."

Were his words truthful? _Yes. He found himself answering. But if that were so, why did he irritate her and make her use her full power when she was chained to that floor, awaiting certain death? Why did he save her from those falling rocks? He could feel the Lord of Nightmares mocking him, telling him the answers to those questions were a secret. Yet, in the far reaches of his mind, shoved into a small corner he would rather forget, he began to grasp the tip of the answers._

Xelloss shook his head violently, forcing the thoughts to go away. This hadn't happened to him for over one thousand years, and he couldn't stand the thought that it was happening by the hand of a ryuzoku. His kind, not to mention Xelas-sama, wouldn't accept it. It was weak. It was crude. It was completely wrong.

Yet thoughts of her made him smile. Truthfully. A smile he would rarely show. He was content with a secretive grin, forced on his face by default, yet whenever he thought of her, he couldn't help but change that smile.

Love? No. Mazoku couldn't love. Could they? Perhaps it was that they wouldn't love, and in that case, had he broken that vow? No. Lust, maybe, but not love. Pining after something he knew he could never have. It was all too natural for a predatory creature of the hunt.

He sat outside her window again, watching her cry herself to sleep, wondering the reasons for her actions. Every night she seemed to do that. It was almost as if sleep wouldn't come if she didn't. Most nights he would watch her secretively, always wondering what drove her to tears. Was it him? Was it his actions toward her that made her hurt so much?

_She's strong. She can handle all of my teasing and more. That I know is a fact. _

It was quite selfish to believe otherwise. Thinking that he could cause her so much pain; so much disgust. No. It was something else. Something else was bothering her. Was the desire to help someone with their problems – to make it so they wouldn't hurt anymore – lust? He forced himself into believing it was.

Love? No. Mazoku couldn't love, and especially not those of their mortal enemy's race. It was something else. It had to be something else. Something that drew the priest into mindless battles with her time and time again. Something that kept her in his mind, even as sleep began to claim his senses. Yes, something else. That was the only explanation.

[On to Chapter Four: The Priestess ][1]

   [1]: demndra4.htm



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